All the sections which have been box listed but not catalogued have been brought together physically according to the outline archive structure; ie all records relating to the Computer Systems group have been brought together and stored in the same place. To use this listing system to find a particular record you must take the following steps:

1. Check the box numbers listed below in each section.

2. Cross-refer these box numbers with the box listing. These boxes should contain items relevant to that section and should give you a basic idea of the records in any particular section.

3. If you want to see a particular item make a note of the box number, item number and the section under which it is listed eg F35E Ferranti Industrial Electronics.

The following parts of the collection are not fully catalouged and only have box listings available.

1996.10/6/ Ferranti Computer Systems Limited

Ferranti Computer Systems Limited can trace its history back to 1949 when the Computer Group was formed to develope and manufacture computers after working with Manchester University on the creation of the worlds first stored programme computer. The group developed and sold a range of systems which included the worlds first commercially available computers, the Mark 1 and Mark1*, as well as the Pegasus, Apollo and Orion models. In 1963 the group was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Limited, however the group continued in a different form as an amalgamation of the Digital Systems Department (formerly part the Industrial Electronics group of the Scottish Group) and the Automation Systems Department. This 'division' manufactured and sold computers systems, most notably the Argus, which were designed to control complicated industrial processes, such as production lines, power stations and air traffic control stations. The Computer Systems Department was formed from this 'division' in 1978 and was split into three operational divisions based on location and product; the Bracknell Division, the Wythenshawe Division and the Cheadle Division. Following the restructuring of 1984, the Computer Systems Department became Ferranti Computer Systems Limited.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti GmbH Wiesbaden Branch (formed 1972)

Ferranti Computer Systems NV

Ferranti Computer Systems (Australia) Pty Limited

Ferranti International Controls Corporation

Box Numbers

BC2/C, CUP3/K, CUP4/A, CUP4/B, CUP4/C, CUP/D

CUP4/E, CUP4/G, CUP4/H, CUP4/K, CUP5/L, FC2

FC3, FC21, FC27, F15A, F15I, F16G

F16M, F16N, F18I, F24B, F24C, F28E

F29I, F32J, F32L, F35E, F37A, F42B

F42H, F47J, F49F, F49L, F55D, FWY7

FWY10, FWY12, FWY17, FWY44

1996.10/7/ Ferranti Electronics Limited

Ferranti Electronics Limited can trace its origin back to 1930 with the formation of an Electronics Department to manufacture electronic components, which at that time were being manufactured by the Instrument Department (see below). This department was closed down in 1940 only for it to re-open in 1941 as an offshoot of the Radio Department, again manufacturing electronic components. Among the products produced by the department were valves, semi-conductors and integrated circuits. In 1984 the department was reformed as Ferranti Electronics Limited and was made up from the Integrated Circuits Group, the Discrete Components Group and the Microwave Division. In 1987, with the exception of the Microwave Division and the Ceramic Seals Department (which stayed with Ferranti), Ferranti Electronics Limited was sold to Plessey.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti GmbH Munich Branch (formed 1972)

Ferranti California Inc

Ferranti Wheelock Microelectronics Limited

Interdesign Inc

Box Numbers

CUP4/A, CUP4/D, CUP5/K, FC1, FC3, FC5

FC6, FC21, FC24, F8C, F17L, F18H

F18I, F23B/1, F24C, F29G, F32J, F49D

F50A, F55D, F65A, F65D

1996.10/8/ Ferranti Instrumentation Limited

The Instrument Department goes back to 1905 and the Scheme of Reconstruction that created the 'New Company' in that year. The department manufactured a wide variety of products ranging from viscometers through to clip-on anometers and until 1921 the Transformer Department was included within the department. Throughout its life the department often acted as a test bed for new products developed by the company, e.g. electronics, before those products were transferred to other departments. From 1937-1970 the Fuze Department formed part of the Instrument Department and in 1955 the Aircraft Equipment Department was formed and added to the department. After the Radio Department closed down in 1958 the service section of that department was added to the Instrument Department. In 1974 a new Instrumentation Division was created incorporating the old Instrument Department, together with the Meter and Foundry Departments. In 1984 the Instrumentation Division was restructured becoming Ferranti Instrumentation Limited, incorporating the Weapons Equipment Department, the Aircraft Equipment Department, the Naval Department and Mitchell Hydraulics Division.

Power Transformers were at the core of the early Ferranti companies and the division can trace its origins back to the 1880's. However the Transformer Division was not formed as a separate identity until 1921, up until that date the division had formed part of the Instrument Department (see above). In 1957 a Distribution Transformers Department was formed within the division but it was closed down again in 1967. In 1974 the Transformer Division ran into financial difficulties (this was the cause of the financial difficulties which led to the National Enterprise Board intervention) and the Division was shut down in 1975 with only a service and maintenance section maintained until 1980. In 1976 Ferranti Engineering Limited was set up selling Agricultural products.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti Container Handling Limited (set up in 1976)

Box Numbers

BC1/D, BC2/C, BC4/3, CUP3/A, CUP3/G, CUP4/A

CUP5/K, CUP8/D, CUP10/F, CUP10/G, FC3, FC4

FC6, FC7, FC8/1, FC/3, FC8/5, FC10

FC22, FC23, FC23/3, FC23/7, FC23/8, FC24

FC27, FC28, FC29, F5B, F8C, F8C/12

F11F, F14D, F14D/3, F15A, F16M, F17E

F17G, F18H, F18I, F23B, F24C, F27

F27A, F29D, F29G, F32B, F32J, F32N

F32O, F35D, F42A, F42H, F43/1, F43/2

F43/3, F43/4, F44C, F44L, F47J, F48A

F48A/3, F48A/4, F48A/14, F49D, F49E, F50

F50A, F50A/4, F50A/17, F54B/3, F55D, F57B

F63, F65A, F69O, F73A, FWY44

1996.10/13/ Miscellaneous Records

This section contains all those records which relate to the company but which do not fit the above scheme. For example it includes the records of Ferranti Helicopters Limited, formed 1970 and sold to Caledonian Airways in 1979 (the visitors/signing in book with Frank Sinartra's and Eartha Kitt's signature is in this section). It also includes accident report books, bound articles concerning the company, articles written by Ferranti employees and so on. A major part of this section is made up from the records of the Ferranti Archive (formed 1960 and closed 1990) including the correspondence files of the various Ferranti archivists. This section is probably the most unpredictable in its contents.

1864 Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti born 9th April at Bold Street Liverpool

1881 Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti is employed as an assistant to the Chief Research Engineer at Siemens in London

1882 Sebastian leaves Siemens and Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Limited is formed to manufacture the alternator developed by Sebastian (note that this type of alternator was made under licence from Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) who had developed a similar alternator at the same time independently to Sebastian).

1883 Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Limited is wound up at the end of the year. Sebastian buys back his own patents and sets up in partnership with C. P. Sparks and others a new company called S. Z. de Ferranti

1887 Beginning in 1887 Sebastian acting as Engineer to the London Electric Supply Corporation Limited designs and builds the Deptford Generating Station, the world's first power station. In 1891 his contract is not renewed and Sebastian leaves LESCo

1896 S. Z. de Ferranti Limited sets up the Hollinwood factory site in Oldham with production beginning in 1897

1901 Ferranti Limited is registered and acquires the whole undertakings and assets of S. Z. de Ferranti Limited

1903 Ferranti Limited runs into financial difficulties (largely through their steam engines and dynamos). At the instigation of the debenture stockholders the company goes into voluntary receivership

1905 A Scheme of Reconstruction is set up and Ferranti Limited is re-launched. However it is an entirely different company to that of 1901 and is confined to the manufacture of Switch Gear, Transformers and Instruments, with Sebastian taking a less active role in the running of the company

1943 The Edinburgh factory is opened to manufacture Gyro Gun Sights signalling the beginning of the Scottish Group and Ferranti Limited's move into the Defence market

1949 The Computer Group is formed

1951 The worlds first commercially available computer is made and sold to Manchester University

1954 Guided Weapon research begins at Wythenshawe

1957 Ferranti Limited's Radio and T. V. interests are sold to E. K. Cole Limited

1957 The Distribution Transformers Department is formed

1958 The Domestic Appliance Department is closed down

1962 The Bloodhound Inquiry begins

1963 The Computer Department is sold to International Computers and Tabulators Limited

1967 The Distribution Transformers Department is closed down

1975 Ferranti Limited runs into financial difficulties and the Government, through the National Enterprise Board, injects £15 Million into the company in return for a 50% stake in the company and changes in the Board, including a new Managing Director and new Chief Executive. The Ferranti family become minority shareholders

1975 The Transformer Division is closed down

1976 Ferranti Engineering Limited is set up

1982 The National Enterprise Board sells it Ferranti shares on the stock exchange

1984 The Company is restructured into 5 operating divisions

1987 Ferranti plc merges with the American based company The International Signal & Control Group, the new company becoming Ferranti International PLC

1989 Discovery of the ISC fraud. Ferranti is defrauded of approx. £215 million on non-existent contacts and incorrect valuations

1994 Ferranti goes into final receivership in January after selling many of its divisions in an attempt to save itself. The company is effectively ended

Organisation of the collection

1996.10/1/ Board of Directors

Although it is an over simplification Ferranti Limited was essentially a family owned firm. The Ferranti family owned the majority of shares until the National Enterprise Board's intervention in 1975, following the company's financial problems, and the subsequent floatation of the company on the stock exchange (shares in Ferranti were first traded on the stock exchange in 1978). The Ferranti family consequently played a major role in the running of the company and, although throughout the company's history there were of course many directors, it is the Ferranti family who can be considered the most important and influential of those directors. The greater part of this section is made up from the correspondence of Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti and his son Sir Vincent Ziani de Ferranti.

Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti 1864-1930

Managing Director of Ferranti Limited (First Company) 1901-1905

Director of Ferranti Limited (New Company) 1905-1927

Chairman 1927-1930

(Andrew Tait Chairman 1905-1927, Vice-Chairman 1927-1953)

Sir Vincent Ziani de Ferranti 1895-1980

Manager of the Transformer Department 1921-1924

Director of Ferranti Limited 1924-1934

Chairman 1930-1963

Managing Director 1934-1958

Knighted 1948

Sebastian de Ferranti 1927-

Director of Ferranti Limited 1954-1958

Managing Director 1958-1975

Chairman 1963-1982

Basil de Ferranti 1930-1988

Chairman 1982-1988

Derek Alun-Jones

Managing Director 1975-1990

Chairman 1988-1990

Eugene Anderson

Chairman and Chief Executive 1990-1993

1996.10/2/ Finance & Control

As its name suggests the Finance & Control Department was responsible for the company's finances. Based at the company HQ at Hollinwood, and later at the new HQ at Gatley, the department dealt with the finance and audit records of the company, including ledgers and financial statements, as well as share and trading records etc. The department also included the company's Legal and Estates Departments. The Legal department dealt with trademarks, patents and any legal disputes which arose etc. The Estates department dealt with the property (buildings, factories) owned by the company, and kept copies of architectural plans and building maintenance files etc.

1996.10/3/ Strategic Services

This department, formerly known as Central Services, had company wide responsibilities but was based at the company HQ at Hollinwood and later at the new HQ at Gatley. The department dealt with employee recruitment, wages, training, pensions etc, commercial and R& D audits and Information Technology. However its major role was in Domestic and International Marketing and Publicity, producing advertisements, exhibitions, catalogues, brochures, leaflets, journals, newspapers, slide shows, films, videos etc. The department was also responsible for the photographs, used in publicity and marketing, with well over 10,000 examples surviving in the archive in a wide range of formats. This section is the largest in the Ferranti Archive.

Product Groups

1996.10/4/ Ferranti Defence Systems

The Ferranti Defence Systems Limited group was formed in 1984 out of the Scottish Group, and can trace its origins back to 1943. The Scottish Group was formed in that year with the establishment of a factory in Edinburgh, built especially for Ferranti Limited in only 111 days, and paid for by the Government. The factory made Gyro Gun Sights for aircraft. Ferranti bought this factory back from the Government in stages, by a process of converting rent into payments. This factory established Ferranti in Scotland and signalled the company's move into the Defence market. Ferranti expanded it operations in Scotland after the War, increasing the number of factories based in Edinburgh and establishing other sites in Dalkeith and Aberdeen. The group concentrated on producing electronic systems with military applications, but it also included industrial laser systems, fuel dispensing systems (for petrol stations) and offshore technologies. At its peak the Scottish Group employed over 6000 people making it the largest group outside the Manchester base. Based at Turnhouse Airport Edinburgh the Ferranti Flying Unit was attached to the Scottish Group, and was used to test many of the military systems produced by the group. In 1984 Ferranti went through a general restructuring with the Scottish Group being split into two sections: Ferranti Defence Systems Limited and Ferranti Industrial Electronics Limited (see below). As its name suggests the Defence Systems Group manufactured the military systems which were formerly made by the Scottish Group, including Radar Systems, Navigation Systems, Display Systems and Electro-Optic Systems. After the discovery of the fraud in 1989 the Defence Systems Group was sold to GEC as a subsidiary of GEC-Marconi in 1990.

Subsidiary Companies:

Ferranti Defense Systems Inc (purchased 1985)

Venus Scientific Inc (purchased 1985)

Ferranti Systems Singapore (Pte) Ltd

1996.10/5/ Ferranti Industrial Electronics

Ferranti Industrial Electronics Limited was formed in 1984 following the general divisional restructuring, which took place in that year. It was created out of the Scottish Group (see above) and manufactured the non-military systems which were formerly made by that group. The division was made up from the Industrial and Communication Systems Department, the Professional Components Department (making electrical components), Ferranti Infographics and the Offshore Industries Division. The division also included Flexible Laser Systems Limited which manufactured lasers for industrial use.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti GmbH Frankfurt Branch (formed 1972)

Autocourt (Fuel Dispensing System)

1996.10/6/ Ferranti Computer Systems Limited

Ferranti Computer Systems Limited can trace its history back to 1949 when the Computer Group was formed to develop and manufacture computers after working with Manchester University on the creation of the worlds first stored programme computer. The group developed and sold a range of systems which included the worlds first commercially available computers, the Mark 1 and Mark1*, as well as the Pegasus, Apollo and Orion models. In 1963 the group was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Limited, however the group continued in a different form as an amalgamation of the Digital Systems Department (formerly part the Industrial Electronics group of the Scottish Group) and the Automation Systems Department. This 'division' manufactured and sold computers systems, most notably the Argus, which were designed to control complicated industrial processes, such as production lines, power stations and air traffic control stations. The Computer Systems Department was formed from this 'division' in 1978 and was split into three operational divisions based on location and product; the Bracknell Division, the Wythenshawe Division and the Cheadle Division. Following the restructuring of 1984, the Computer Systems Department became Ferranti Computer Systems Limited.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti GmbH Wiesbaden Branch (formed 1972)

Ferranti Computer Systems NV

Ferranti Computer Systems (Australia) Pty Limited

Ferranti International Controls Corporation

1996.10/7/ Ferranti Electronics Limited

Ferranti Electronics Limited can trace its origin back to 1930 with the formation of an Electronics Department to manufacture electronic components, which at that time were being manufactured by the Instrument Department (see below). This department was closed down in 1940 only for it to reopen in 1941 as an offshoot of the Radio Department, again manufacturing electronic components. Among the products produced by the department were valves, semi-conductors and integrated circuits. In 1984 the department was reformed as Ferranti Electronics Limited and was made up from the Integrated Circuits Group, the Discrete Components Group and the Microwave Division. In 1987, with the exception of the Microwave Division and the Ceramic Seals Department (which stayed with Ferranti), Ferranti Electronics Limited was sold to Plessy.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti GmbH Munich Branch (formed 1972)

Ferranti California Inc

Ferranti Wheelock Microelectronics Limited

Interdesign Inc

1996.10/8/ Ferranti Instrumentation Limited

The Instrument Department goes back to 1905 and the Scheme of Reconstruction that created the 'New Company' in that year. The department manufactured a wide variety of products ranging from viscometers through to clip-on anometers and until 1921 the Transformer Department was included within the department. Throughout its life the department often acted as a test bed for new products developed by the company, e.g. electronics, before those products were transferred to other departments. From 1937-1970 the Fuse Department formed part of the Instrument Department and in 1955 the Aircraft Equipment Department was formed and added to the department. After the Radio Department closed down in 1958 the service section of that department was added to the Instrument Department. In 1974 a new Instrumentation Division was created incorporating the old Instrument Department, together with the Meter and Foundry Departments. In 1984 the Instrumentation Division was restructured becoming Ferranti Instrumentation Limited, incorporating the Weapons Equipment Department, the Aircraft Equipment Department, the Naval Department and Mitchell Hydraulics Division.

Power Transformers were at the core of the early Ferranti companies and the division can trace its origins back to the 1880's. However the Transformer Division was not formed as a separate identity until 1921, up until that date the division had formed part of the Instrument Department (see above). In 1957 a Distribution Transformers Department was formed within the division but it was closed down again in 1967. In 1974 the Transformer Division ran into financial difficulties (this was the cause of the financial difficulties which led to the National Enterprise Board intervention) and the Division was shut down in 1975 with only a service and maintenance section maintained until 1980. In 1976 Ferranti Engineering Limited was set up selling Agricultural products.

Subsidiary Companies

Ferranti Container Handling Limited (set up in 1976)

1996.10/10/ Domestic Appliances

The Domestic Appliance Department was set up in 1912 and manufactured Electric Fires, Electric Cookers and Grills, the department also made a small number of electric irons and cooking utensils. The department stopped production at the outbreak of the First World War and was closed down in 1918 with the Electric Cooker and Grill interests sold to the Jackson Electric Stove Co. In 1926 Ferranti began once again to manufacture electric fires and in 1927 the Domestic Appliance Department was reformed to manufacture electric fires and domestic water heaters. In 1932 the department began to manufacture electric clocks. In 1937 the department moved to the Moston factory sight alongside the Radio Department and in the same year the department began to make Television Sets. During the Second World War the department switched to military production making a wide range of items including the 'Identification Friend or Foe' system. In 1957 the Radio and T. V. sections of the department were sold to E. K. Cole Limited, with the rest of the department shutting down in 1958.

1996.10/11/ Ferranti - Packard Limited (Canada)

In 1913 Ferranti Limited set up a company in Canada to manufacture transformer and associated electrical equipment, and Ferranti Electric Co of Canada Limited, as it was known, opened its first factory in 1916. In 1954 Ferranti Limited purchased the Packard Electric Co Limited, based in Canada this company also produced transformers and associated electrical equipment (Packard Electric was founded by the same family that founded the Packard Car company). In 1958 the two companies were merged to form Ferranti-Packard Limited (Canada). Ferranti-Packard was sold in 1979 to N. E. I.

1996.10/12/ Ferranti Family Records

This section contains those records of the Ferranti family not immediately connected with the company. In the main it contains photocopy copies of the letter and note books of Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti (1864-1930) which were transferred to the family's personal archive at Henbury Hall in 1985. It also includes photographs of the Ferranti family, biographical notes, copies of portraits of the family and articles written about the family.

1996.10/13/ Miscellaneous Records

This section contains all those records which relate to the company but which do not fit the above scheme. For example it includes the records of Ferranti Helicopters Limited, formed 1970 and sold to Caledonian Airways in 1979 (the visitors/signing in book with Frank Sinartra's and Eartha Kitt's signature is in this section). It also includes accident report books, bound articles concerning the company, articles written by Ferranti employees and so on. A major part of this section is made up from the records of the Ferranti Archive (formed 1960 and closed 1990) including the correspondence files of the various Ferranti archivists. This section is probably the most unpredictable in its contents.

Creator Names:

Ferranti Group of Companies

Ferranti Ltd, electrical engineers

Immediate Source Of Acquisition:

Collection held by the Ferranti group of companies until the receivers for the Ferranti group passed it to the Museum of Science and Industry in 1995.

Conditions of access:

There are no restrictions on access.

Related Material:

Various books within the Museum's library, catalogues held in the Trade Literature Collection MS Papers 0686.

The Ferranti family papers still held privately by the Ferranti Family.